Nathan McCormick, an assistant coach for the YMCA Aquatics Club swim team, unrolls the lanes for the pool before a practice at the YMCA earlier this week. McCormick, a swimmer at Wayland Baptist University, just completed his freshman year at college. He said he wants to get into coaching after he graduates. less

Nathan McCormick, an assistant coach for the YMCA Aquatics Club swim team, unrolls the lanes for the pool before a practice at the YMCA earlier this week. McCormick, a swimmer at Wayland Baptist University, ... more

Photo: Skip Leon/Plainview Herald

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Photo: Skip Leon/Plainview Herald

Young swimmers out for fun, competition

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The summer is almost here, and that means sunny days and temperatures occasionally touching triple digits (with the exception of this rainy weekend). When the mercury rises, people will take to the water to cool off. Pools throughout the city are sure to get a great deal of use by students looking to pass their summer vacation in a fun way or anybody looking to cool off.

But for a small number of youngsters, swimming will be more than just having fun. The 12 members of the Plainview Aquatics Club will compete in four meets this summer, beginning May 30-31 in Lubbock.

Hannan said there are a few differences between coaching college athletes and the youngsters on the YMCA swim team, but the sport is still the same.

“There is a little bit of a difference, but at the same time, swimming is swimming,” Hannan said before a practice earlier this week. “When you coach the little kids it’s more about technique, mentoring them to fall in love with the sport of swimming.”

And while developing a love for the sport is one main goal, the youngsters compete hard when they get into a meet.

“This level is very, very competitive,” Hannan said. “Most of your U.S. Olympians started right around this age — five, six, seven, eight. So, it’s a very competitive group. But when you start out, a lot of it is technique and teaching them that swimming’s fun and things along those lines. But they get to meets and they get very competitive.”

McCormick knows how competitive youth swimming can be. He began swimming for a club team in his hometown of Pecos when he was in the fifth grade.

“We weren’t a big club,” McCormick said. “It’s about like this one, a little team.”

McCormick coached youth swimming back in Pecos, so he jumped at the chance when Hannan asked him to help her coach the YMCA team. When he graduates from college he would like to get into coaching.

“I love coaching. I love the kids. They’ve grown on me very well,” McCormick said. “It’s all for the kids. I enjoy helping them, teaching them how to swim and seeing them achieve their goals and swimming.”

McCormick sees a little bit of himself as a youngster in the swimmers.

“They have a lot of desire and want to get better,” McCormick said. “That’s how I was when I was a kid. I pushed myself and I wanted to be like the older ones who competed and competed. And these kids have competed a lot this year. They have improved a lot. All the swimmers have. The little ones, they’ve come a long way from where they started. They basically started from scratch. They’ve learned from elementary kind of stages. They’ve come a long way. And that’s how I started off, too.”

The team members are Miranda McIlroy, Ivan Torres, Haley Curtis, James McLaurin, Rory Reed, Hannah Massingill, Megan Harp, Travis Heinen, Joshua Heinen, Alex Fierro, Olivia Grubser and Achilies Melendez. The swimmers started practicing in early September about when the school year began and they will work out and compete through the summer.

And while some may have aspirations of greatness, not everybody grows up to be an Olympian. But people can swim throughout their lives. And they can compete in the sport throughout their lives, as well.

“Swimming is a life-long sport,” Hannan said. “When you finish college, there’s a whole other level of swimming called master swimming. That starts when you’re 18 and goes pretty much all the way until you pass away, to a certain extent. You can compete your whole life. I know people that are probably in their 90s now — they used to train with me when I was in college — that are world record holders for all their age groups for all their events.”

Hannan said there’s a certain camaraderie among master-level swimmers.

“It stays competitive through the years,” Hannan said. “After college swimming, the master’s swimming is just a different element. So, everybody’s really encouraging with each other because everybody has gone through the motions from when they were little until they’re old.”

Hannan said swimming is physically demanding and provides a full-body workout.

“You swim as hard as you can,” Hannan said. “In track, you run as hard as you can to make yourself faster. In swimming, I’m asking them to swim back and forth as hard as they can and not breathe a whole lot. Most kids only breathe seven or eight times for two laps. So, it’s very good for your lungs. It’s very good for your whole body. It’s one of those sports where you’re really getting a full-body workout.”

The team currently practices twice a week for about 90 minutes each time. Hannan is hoping to eventually have practices five to six days a week, depending on the age group.

And while swim meets get extremely competitive, Hannan tries to keep the emphasis on fun. That’s the one thing she wants the young swimmers to get out of their experience.

“Athletics is fun,” Hannan said. “Swimming is very individualized, to a certain extent. But there’s that team element. And we’re trying to incorporate a little bit of both. When you work out, a lot of it is that you’ll get out of it what you put into it. It’s a great sport. And then the team aspect of it is relays and fun stuff like that. You get to be a part of a team and support your team. At the same time, it teaches you a lot about yourself and what you’re willing to do to make yourself better in a sport.”

Following their meet in Lubbock, the swimmers will compete in a meet in Midland June 12-15 and back in Lubbock for the championships July 24-26. Dates are pending for the state championships in Austin.